The present invention is directed to a device for SZ stranding of a plurality of elements particularly light waveguides or symmetrical elements for example quads into a unit of stranded elements which device utilizes a plurality of store devices for stranding the elements which are then brought together as a common stranding nipple as a bundle of units.
A stranding method which has a first stranding stage in which elements are stranded into units with the direction of twist alternating to produce a SZ stranding pattern is disclosed in German O.S. 22 55 419. These stranded units are formed by the method of the German O.S. and are then stranded into a group or bundles of stranding units in a second stranding stage. To this end, the stranded units produced in the first stranding stage are supplied to a stranding nipple shared by all of the stranding units or stores wherein a respectively rotating stranding head is disposed in the direct proximity of the common stranding nipple and the stranding head surrounding the respective stranding unit is circumferentially directed in a non-positive lock. Each stranding head exerts a torsion on the respective unit by means of an appropriate selection of the speed and direction of rotation to such a degree that the unit of stranded elements exhibits a constant stranding direction along their path to the stranding nipple. By so doing, it is guaranteed that the unit of stranded elements cannot unravel at the reversing location at the point of reversing the direction of twist of the unit formed later on by the device as the unit proceeds from the first stranding stage to the second stranding stage. To this end, the stranding heads are arranged directly in front of the stranding nipple in order to guarantee the shortest possible path between the stranding heads to the stranding nipple. The stranding heads produced temporary and final stranding all of which are connected with a corresponding elastic-plastic torsion as a result of a lack of a back twist. Since the twister arrangement, which is employed is long and the twisters are voluminous in size, a connection of the point for stranding the units into a bundle to the previous point for stranding the elements into a unit is much more difficult.